Recent content by NealB

Phew! They're out of stock.

Thank you. Just to be sure I understand you ...... Decades ago (in the late seventies), I used to crew on a seriously competitive quarter-tonner, and the skipper would keep winding up the windward rigging to remove any noticeable slack in the lee rigging. It seemed brutal to me (I kept...

Sorry ...... pushing my luck, I know ........ but did you use any magical anti-gall potion, between the nuts and bolts when mounting your winches?

Thanks again!

Did you use 50, 70 or 80? So far, I've tried four potential suppliers, looking for M8 A4-80 bolts. They can, of course, all get 80, but only as a special purchase for at least 100 bolts. I only need ten. Are 80 (or 70), 'overkill'? Presumably, if I can find 80, then the nuts and washers...

This ties in nicely with my post yesterday (about bolts for mounting sheet winches). Does anyone know if M8 countersunk stainless bolts are easily available in A4 - 80, please? I've tried a couple of places, but their bolts are A4- 50.

Careful placing of fenders would have helped limit damage to boat and bridge.

Thanks again.

Thanks vyv ...... what a resource this site is for an engineering numpty like me.

Thank you. I suspect that, like you, I won't be able to resist the psychological lure of 316, just for the sake of saving a few quid.

Thanks again, Paul. The holes in the Lewmars are too small for M10s, so I'm happy to trust the Lewmar design engineers' judgement on size. And, a big YES, too, to the need for countersunk.

Thank you: been through that several times over the years, on various boats. So far, no such problems with the current boat (owned since 2017). There .... that's blown it!

Huge thanks. M8's are what held the old Barient 24s, but, you're right, the Barients were mounted with six screws, against just five in the Lewmars. I'll go up to M10s (edit: asssuming the holes in the winch base will take M10s. I'll have a look this afternoon).

Thanks for all the replies: very helpful.

I'm with Caer Urfa on this. After a working life in post-graduate professional training, the best learners were those that were not afraid to ask potentially embarrassing questions. They also helped the less brave to learn.